Side-wall construction for filing cabinets



@(Et. 23', 1924 I 1,513,429

F. A. SCHMITZ SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR FILING CABINETS Filed May 25.1921 3 Sheets-Sheet i S'YVUQI L'r O'l MrA/E6$Es: Somwig,

1, w, l I I Get. 28 1924.

F. A. SCHMITZ SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR FILING CABINETS s sheets-sheet.2

Filed May 25.

get, 28, 1924. 2,513,429 F. A. SCHMITZ SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR FILINGCABINETS Filed May 25. 192] 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 2 8, 1924.

rrao FRED A. SOHMITZ, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERALFIREPROOF- ING COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, 0310, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SIDE-WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR FILING CABINETS.

Application filed May 25, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. SoHMrrz, citizen of the United States,residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning e and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Side-WallConstructions for Filing Cabinets, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improvement in metal office furniture, moreparticularly of the filing cabinet type for use in storing papers,letters, files and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a light, durable andstrong cabinet 1 of simplified construction, thereby materially reducingthe cost of production while at the same time maintaining the structuralfeatures and characteristics necessary to provide a cabinet of maximumservicea bility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel side wallstructure adapted to carry the drawer guides in a substantial andpractical manner and having a maximum stiffness. That is to say, it isproposed to provide a side wall sheet havin stifi'ening portionsperforming the dual function of reinforcing the side walls and affordinga base or support for the attachment of the drawer guides.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel cornerconstruction for the side walls which gives stability in effect as wellas in appearance. This construction 85 may therefore be advantageouslyused to strengthen the sides of the cabinet where the drawers enter,while atthe same time providin a finished edge or frame at the exposedface of the cabinet.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood,-

the same consists in the novel construction,

combination and arrangements of parts, hereinafter more fully described,illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet embodying the presentfeatures of improvement.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view.

Serial No. 472,541.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure3, and

Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 ofFigure 3.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

In carrying the present invention into effect it is proposed to utilizea minimum amount of metal and arrange the same in such a way as toproduce great stiflness and rigidity, at the same time omittingcomplicated joints and other parts which as a rule prevent facileassembly and frequently become sprung or loosened.

Accordingly, the invention contemplates the use of a pair of novel sidewall units A, a base B, back wall O, and atop or cap D,

the front edges of the side wall units A being connected by the crossbars E which divide the front end of the cabinet into.

openings for receiving the drawers F which slide upon the drawer guidesG. The front end of the cabinet may also be provided at the bottom witha suitable apron or panel H, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

One of the novel and distinctive features of the invention is theprovision of means on the side walls A for supporting the drawer guidesG. This means is preferably of such a character as to also stiffen orreinforce the side wall and in the embodiment shown may consist of theinwardly offset ribs 1 formed from the sheet material of the side wall.These ribs may be formed at suitable intervals in the side wall andpresent the channels 2 at the outside of the sheet thereby avoiding theexterior projections and permitting the cabinets to be readily placedside by side and also materially increasing the vertical stiifness ofthe sheet. In Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be observedthat one of the ribs is located at the middle of the sheet while theothers are located adjacent the edges thereof to obtain a satisfactorydistribution of the reinforcing effect without unduly multiplying thenumber of ribs, although it will of course be understood that the ribsmay be used in any desired number and may extend in any desireddirection, either vertically, horizontally or obliquely, and may belocated at any desired interval according to the specifications andrequirements of the different cabinets.

g; I nsraeae The said vertical stiffening ribs 1 may be formed in anycross sectional shape, but as shown in the present embodiment, theypreferably consist of the fiat supporting wall portion 3 and theinclined sides 4 which avoid the formation of abrupt angles while givingthe desired reinforcing efi'ect.

- As will be observed from the drawings, the drawer guides G forreceiving the drawer carriages are preferably of the channeled type andextend throughout the width of the side walls A, and for the purpose ofrigidly holding the drawer guides in position the same are preferablywelded, or otherwise rigidly secured, to the flat supporting face 3 ofthe stifiening ribs, as indicated at it. When the drawer guides arewelded to the stiffening ribs at the points where they cross the ribs,it will be apparent that the side walls are reinforced againsthorizontal bending stresses in a thoroughly practical and efi'ectivemanner. In other words, by reason of the channeled drawer guides Grbeing welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inwardly oflset ribs atdifferent levels throughout the height of the side walls, the latterwill be materially reinforced and braced while at the same time thedrawer guides will be efi'ectivel held in position to support the usualsli ing drawers F.

The formation of the vertical ribs 1 in the sheet of metal forming theside wall A is therefore of much practical importance since it not onlygives the side wall vertical st1fl'- ness and reinforcement, but at thesame time afiords a convenient support for the drawer guides, which byreason of their own stifi ness give the necessary reinforcement to theside sheet to enable the same to withstand horizontal twisting strains,without the necessity of adding additional reinforcing means between thetop and bottom horizontal edges of the cabinet to provide the desiredintermediate stifiness.

A further and important feature of the invention resides in the novelformation of the-vertical edges of the side walls A to provide ahollowbr tubular front corner post which maintains the desired lightnessand economy of material while at the same time giving the requiredstrength and reinforcement to the sides of the cabinet, as for exampleadjacent the drawer panels. As will be observed from Figure 4c the frontedge portion 5 of the sheet forming the side wall A is bent at rightangles, as indicated at 6, to provide the front edge of the side walland then the remaining portion of the sheet is bent back parallel to theplane of the side wall, as indicated at 7 and formed with an angularattaching flange portion 8 which preferably contacts with the interiorface of the wall 3 of the inwardly offset rib 1 adjacent the front edgeof the cabinet. The said flange 8 may be welded or otherwise secured tothe rib l to make the hollow corner post or frame entirely stable andrigid to withstand the shock and jar incident to the manipulation of thedrawers F.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the side walls 8 haveseveral distinctly novel features which are an important part of thepresent invention. And, to recapitulate these features reside in theprovision of the inwardly offset portions forming supports for thedrawer guides, the said inwardly ofi'set portions being preferably inthe form of vertical ribs to give vertical stiffness to the side walls.Also, the formation at the front edge of the sheets provides a stablefront corner position construction.

The side walls A having the novel features referred to are preferablyunited at their rear edges with a back wall C by flanges 9, and the topedges of the said walls receive the cap D having the depending back andside flanges l0, and the depending front flange 11, which is inwardlyofi'set as at 12 to provide a finished top panel section. The frontedges of the sections A are laterally braced through the attachment ofthe cross bars E for the drawers, while the bottom edges of the sidewalls A surround the vertical side wall portions 13 of the hollow basemember 3 whose rear vertical side wall M is welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the back C. To provide the desired finish for the bottom ofthe front portion of the cabinet, the panel or apron H may be placedbetween the inner side portion 7 of the corner post, as shown in Figures3 and a of the drawings. To make a finished edge for the bottom portionof the base 13, the walls 13 and 14 previously referred to, may beformed with the horizontal flange portions 15, clearly shown in Figures3 and 5.

Without further description it is thought that the many features andadvantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appendedclaims.

ll claim:

1. A cabinet construction including a sheet metal side wall havingvertically dis posed pressed-in channel portions arranged at spacedintervals, and combined reinforcing and drawer guide members parallelingthe side wall and secured to the inner faces of said channels.

2. A cabinet construction including a sheet metal side wall havingrelativel wide vertically disposed pressed-in sti ening secured to theinner faces of said channels, of said channels.

guide menihers paralleling the side wall and the side wall and securedto the inner faces 10 3. A cabinet construction including a In testimonywhereof I hereunto aflix my a sheet niftal'gide waall havingdrelativelwide signature in the presence of two witnesses. vertica y 'spose presse-in sti ening channel ortions arranged adjacent the front v FRED andread edges and also at the middle of Witnesses: said wall, and combinedreinforcin and W. C. ConxnLL, drawer guide members arranged parfilel toI :i W. Porn.

